


Sleeping Arrangements

by respoftw



Series: 30 prompt OTP challenge - McShep [2]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2016-12-10
Packaged: 2018-09-07 17:45:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8810092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/respoftw/pseuds/respoftw
Summary: John and Rodney always share a tent off world; an arrangement that suits John perfectly.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #2: Cuddlng

It had all started with Ford stalking out of his two man tent with a face like thunder.

"Do _not,_ " he said, "ever make me share a tent with McKay again."

"C'mon, Lieutanant," John joked, trying to lighten the mood. "His snoring can't be that bad."

"His snoring I could deal with," Ford fumed. "The...grabby hands not so much."

John raised his eyebrows and turned his head towards the flap of the tent where Rodney was only now slowly lumbering out.

"What?" Rodney stretched and winced as his back made some painful popping sounds. "I'm a cuddler," he shrugged. "Its involuntary, I assure you," he directed some of his trademark snark towards Ford. "You can stop with the big gay panic."

John sighed as he stepped in between Ford and McKay. "Start breaking down the camp, Lieutenant. I want to leave in ten." Ford showed no sign of having heard, instead stepping closer towards McKay. John let his voice harden. "That's an order."

Ford backed off with one last glare at McKay who seemed oblivious to the whole thing.

John exchanged an exasperated look with Teyla as Ford stomped off.

"I guess we'll have to review the sleeping arrangements," he muttered.

Teyla arched an elegantly plucked eyebrow at him. "Do not look at me," she smiled. "I am sure that you and Dr. McKay will make excellent bedfellows."

The thing was, she wasn't wrong. Ever since that first overnight off world trip John and Rodney had always paired off for sleeping arrangements and John, well, John enjoyed it.

Rodney was handsy when sleeping, yes, but he was also warm and soft and - - the thing was, John had always ran a few degrees cooler than most people while Rodney ran a few degrees warmer. Rodney's solid body was like a furnace at his side, keeping him warm through even the most frigid of nights. And really, he didn't snore all that badly. It was more of a gentle sort of snuffling. It was kind of cute actually. Especially when coupled with Rodney's morning bed hair and his sleepy smile as he got his first smell of morning coffee.

John might have liked the whole nocturnal cuddling thing a little bit more than he should; a little bit more than was safe in a world where DADT ruled.

When Ronon joined the team, John had been torn between his want to keep sharing space with Rodney and his concern over Teyla. Teyla had put a stop to that immediately, cracking John painfully in the ribs with her bantos rods when he suggested that maybe he should keep an eye on Ronon while she roomed with Rodney.

"I can take care of myself," she said, smiling sweetly as she offered him a hand to help pick himself up off the floor. "Not that I will need to. Ronon would not harm me and I will forget that you ever thought that he might. I suggest you do the same."

John capitulated. It was for the best anyway. Just the thought of Rodney throwing one of his arms over Teyla or the image of Rodney's face burying itself into Teyla's neck, his soft little snuffles tickling her skin, was enough to make John's right eye start to twitch unpleasantly. No, Teyla was right. She would be fine and John and Rodney should continue with their current arrangements.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Really, it was Lorne's fault for breaking it.

John hated letting any member of his team go off world without him but there was something especially awful about it when it was Rodney. He knew that he'd been walking around the base like a bear with a sore head ever since Lorne's team had left with his scientist three days ago but he couldn't seem to help himself. Teyla had suggested meditation and Ronon had suggested he get laid. Ronon _had_ always been scarily observant.

The entire city of Atlantis breathed a sigh of relief when Lorne and, more importantly, Rodney gated in on schedule.

John hovered near the gate, wanting to see for himself that Rodney was whole and healthy.

"Don't touch me, I smell like camel," Rodney side stepped John's attempt to clap him on the back in a manly fashion (he definitely wasn't going to hug him, not here; in full view of everyone), making a beeline for the showers that were conveniently located just off the gate room.

John quickly schooled his face to hide his disappointment. "We _are_ supposed to debrief first you know?"

Rodney waved him off. "Lorne can get you updated on all the boring stuff while I wash the camel smell off. That way I don't have to sit through it before I get to the good stuff It's a win win."

"Good stuff?" John perked up. "How good we talking? ZPM good, coffee good or spaceship good?"

"Such a flyboy," Rodney muttered. "I'm going to keep you in suspense. It's the least you deserve for forcing me to listen to Lorne's snoring for the past three nights." Rodney disappeared into the shower room with one final wave of dismissal.

John turned his attention to Lorne and the rest of AR-2. "After you," he said as he gestured for them to head up to the briefing room.

Walking behind them as they trudged up the stairs, he could see - or smell - what Rodney meant about the camels; he really hoped the meeting would be brief.

Elizabeth was nowhere to be seen and Chuck confirmed that she was running late. John resigned himself to taking shallow breaths through his mouth as he poured everyone a glass of water and they settled in to wait.

"No injuries?" he asked, just to make small talk. "You know, we should get one of those sign things. 17 days since our last off world injury."

Lorne smiled. "I'll see about requisitioning one, sir, although I'm pretty sure it would never get that high. It was a pretty straightforward mission. The Tollerans are good people. They don't have much but what they have they're more than willing to share."

John nodded absently as he sat down with his back to the door and drummed his fingers on the table. "McKay manage to not piss the natives off?" he asked.

"The natives, yeah," Walker muttered.

John swung his attention towards the marine. "What do you mean by that, Sergeant?"

Lorne diverted John from a slightly scared looking Walker. "It was nothing, sir," he insisted. "Dr McKay may have got a little..close to some of us while we were camping outside." He shook his head, chuckling. "I gotta say, Colonel. I don't know how you put up with that. Man's like a limpet in human form when he's asleep."

John coughed, choking on a sudden surge of anger at the thought of Rodney cuddling with someone else, anyone else. Seeing Lorne's questioning eyebrow, he scoffed. "Yeah," he lied, "it's, ah, just one of those things you have to put up with I guess." He forced a smirk on to his face. "You know, like gun blisters, sun burn and the occasional bout of torture."

The hearty laughter of Lorne's men didn't quite cover the small squeak of leather boots from behind him. His heart sinking, John knew who he'd see standing behind him before he even turned around.

Rodney avoided his gaze as he made his way across the room, choosing the farthest away chair from John.

_Fuck._

* * *

 

"Rodney? Come on Rodney, open up."

John pounded on the door of Rodney's quarters, even if it was himself and his big mouth he really wanted to pound. Rodney could move quickly when he wanted to and he had managed to weave his way out from the briefing room, deftly avoiding John's attempts to catch his attention.

"I can stand out here all night," he threatened. "Just..open the damn door."

"Go away, Colonel."

John sighed. _Colonel_. That was never a good sign.

"Look, I'm sorry, OK? I..I didn't mean it."

A snort of disbelief sounded from behind the closed door and John ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. He had really screwed this up.

John glanced up and down the corridor, finding it quiet. There weren't many people around at this time of night. That should at least make his next move a bit easier. John leaned against the frame of Rodney's door and rested his head against the cool metal.

"Look," he began quietly, "it's possible that I was, well, protesting a bit too much."

No response.

John sighed. "I like sleeping beside you," he admitted. "I like it way more than I should; way more than it's safe for me to like it." John thumped his head against the wall as he laughed without humour. "I like the cuddling. I like how solid you are next to me. I like how warm you make me feel. I like waking up with you. I lo- - I like _you,_ you jackass."

The door he was resting his head against abruptly disappeared, causing John to tip forward. Right into Rodney's arms.

"Rodney," he pleaded.  
  
Rodney sighed. "Just, just get in here before you get yourself in trouble." He gently pulled John inside, the door closing behind them.

"Rodney, I - -"

"Just, just shut up and sleep," Rodney whispered.

John watched as Rodney crawled into the narrow Lantean bed and held the cover open in invitation.

John kicked his boots off and settled next to him, sighing happily as Rodney shuffled closer, snuggling in where he belonged.

"This ok?" Rodney asked.

"It's perfect," John answered.

It was.

 

**Author's Note:**

> As always, you can find me on [Tumblr](http://buffycuddlespigs.tumblr.com)


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